08/15/2012

Chinese fans bowled over by U.S. professional wrestling

(Reuters) - The Shanghai crowd howled with delight as half-naked giants in glittering briefs strutted into the ring and began slamming each other to the mat.

The audience had come from all over China to watch muscle-bound foreigners with odd names like Rey Mysterio, Jack Swagger and The Big Show kick, punch and pile-drive each other.

It was likely the first time that many of the crowd had ever seen U.S. professional wrestling in the flesh but they clearly knew the script.

Some wore Mexican wrestling masks others carried signs with messages for >their favorites. They chanted "You suck! You suck!" in English at the villains.

"I'm here for the hot guys," said one woman carrying a sign with an invitation for a champion known as Sheamus to visit Sichuan province.

Ed Wells, senior vice president for international operations at Stanford, Connecticut-based WWE (originally World Wrestling Entertainment), which specializes in choreographed violence by big men in tights, said fans were the same the world over.

Read more at REUTERS

Aug 15, 2012 2:31:46 AM | Entertainment

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